
We are proud to celebrate our Putnam County Charter School Nutrition Department for earning •TWO• outstanding awards recognizing their dedication to student health and wellness from the Georgia Department of Education.
🥗 The Turnip the Beet! Award – A national recognition for serving high-quality, nutritious, and appealing meals through the Summer Meals Program.
🌱 The Georgia Farm to School Award – Honoring exceptional efforts to connect students with local agriculture, provide fresh locally grown foods, and teach children where their food comes from.
These achievements reflect the hard work and commitment of our nutrition team in ensuring students have access to healthy meals and meaningful learning experiences year-round. Congratulations on these well-deserved recognitions!

Following the success of the Superintendent's Student Advisory Council, Mr. Austin has expanded opportunities for collaboration by launching this new council, bringing together certified and classified staff representatives from across PCCSS. Meeting monthly with district leadership, council members will provide valuable feedback, share ideas, and help guide our continuous improvement efforts.
The council includes representatives from a variety of departments, including teachers, paraprofessionals, transportation, nutrition, and other key areas across the district. By bringing together diverse voices and perspectives, the District hopes to gain a more well-rounded understanding of the needs, challenges, and opportunities within our school system.
We are excited to see this collaborative effort strengthen communication, support informed decision-making, and help us continue to Inspire, Innovate, and Excel throughout PCCSS!





The Putnam County Charter School System Tinsel & Tiaras Holiday Pageant is BACK, and we can't wait to see our students shine on stage!
EVERY contestant will receive a tiara, rose, and sash, and 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place trophies will be awarded in every division.
📅 December 15, 2026
📍 The Plaza Arts Center
🕕 Doors Open: 6:00 PM
The pageant is open to all PCCSS students in Pre-K through 12th grade. Put on your favorite holiday dress, suit, or Sunday best and celebrate the season while making memories that will last a lifetime.
Age Divisions
• Tiny Princess (Pre-K–Kindergarten)
• Little Princess (1st–2nd Grade)
• Young Princess (3rd–5th Grade)
• Pre-Teen (6th–8th Grade)
• Young Teen (9th–10th Grade)
• Teen (11th–12th Grade)
*Registration is now OPEN! The entry fee is $35 through November 13 and increases to $50 after November 16. Spots are LIMITED, so don't wait to register ⬇️
https://putnamcountyga.schoolwindow.com/estore/putnam-county-high-school/tinsel-and-tiaras-pageant.html
For more information, contact:
April Smith – April.Smith@putnam.k12.ga.us
Kim Schell – Kim.Schell@putnam.k12.ga.us

We were especially excited to welcome our friends from Morgan County who joined us for this year's festivities! We loved having you celebrate with us, and we hope you had just as much fun as we did!
A HUGE THANK YOU to our wonderful community partners, dedicated volunteers, teachers, staff, and everyone who lent a helping hand to make this event such a success! A very special shoutout to our PCCSS Superintendent's Student Advisory Council high school volunteers for giving their time, energy, and enthusiasm to help make the day extra special! Your willingness to serve and connect with our students made a difference! 👏🏾
Friendly Fright Fest is a beautiful reminder of what happens when a community comes together with a shared purpose—to create meaningful experiences, celebrate ALL abilities, and make sure everyone has a place to belong! 🧡
To everyone who helped bring this event to life, THANK YOU! We couldn't have done it without you! Same time next year? We think YES! 🎃👻🧡









Last night, we had the honor of celebrating four outstanding educators at our annual Teacher of the Year reception! These incredible individuals exemplify the passion, dedication, and commitment to excellence that make a lasting difference in the lives of our students and the PCCSS community.
Each honoree represents the very best of education, inspiring students, supporting colleagues, and helping shape the future of Putnam County, one student at a time.
👏 Please join us in congratulating our 2026–2027 Teachers of the Year! We are #PutnamProud of these exceptional educators and grateful for the impact they make every day!
💙 Mr. Marcus Swain — Putnam County Primary School
💙 Mrs. Tonika Pettigrew — Putnam County Elementary School
💙 Mrs. Elizabeth Harkins — Putnam County Middle School
💙 Mrs. Rebekah Esau — Putnam County High School
Thank you to these educators and to all our dedicated teachers who go above and beyond to make a difference in the lives of our students. Your work matters, and we are proud to celebrate you!
*To view all the pictures from last night Teacher of the Year reception, please visit the District's Facebook page.







What an incredible evening of school spirit, community pride, and Homecoming celebration!
Thank you to everyone who came out to support our students at the Homecoming Parade and Community Pep Rally. Seeing families, alumni, staff, and community members lining the parade route and gathering together afterward was a wonderful reminder of what makes our community so special.
A special thank you goes to our teachers, staff, students, coaches, sponsors, and volunteers who dedicated their time, creativity, and hard work to designing floats, preparing for the parade, and representing our schools with pride.
When our schools and community come together to celebrate our students, we create traditions that strengthen connections, build pride, and remind our children how deeply they are supported. We are truly Putnam Proud and grateful to be part of a community that shows up, cheers loud, and supports our students every step of the way.
*To see more pictures from last night's Homecoming Parade and Community Pep Rally, please visit the District's Facebook page.


Our Putnam County High School Service Leadership students put their leadership into action this week by planning and pushing into 9 Pre-K classrooms for Pre-K Reads Week at Putnam County Primary School!
Our Service Leadership students shared their favorite children’s books, performed fun puppet shows, helped their Pre-K buddies create their own puppets, and even got a very special visit from Swoop the War Eagle! 🦅
It was a day filled with stories, creativity, laughter, and connection—and a perfect reminder that service leadership is about showing up, sharing what you have, and making a difference in someone else’s day.
We love watching our seniors become leaders while inspiring our youngest War Eagles! ❤️





Your new favorite War Eagle sweatshirt is only $25 during the early-order window! 🦅
October 5–21 → $25
October 22+ → $40
That’s a $15 savings just for ordering early! 🙌
❤️ Perfect for War Eagle fans of ALL ages!
🤍 Limited quantities available
💙 Delivered to PCHS the first week of November
👉 ORDER NOW:
https://putnamcountyga.schoolwindow.com/estore/putnam-county-high-school/apparel.html

🎉 Homecoming Parade
🕠 Starts at 5:30 PM
📍 Begins at the New City Hall (Old PCES building)
🎉 Community Pep Rally
📍 On the Courthouse Square immediately following the parade
Bring your family, friends, and neighbors and help us show our War Eagle pride as we celebrate another great Homecoming season together!

Today, district and community leaders kicked off the celebration by becoming "guest travelers" and visiting Pre-K classrooms across Putnam County Primary School. Armed with their Passports to Learning, visitors got a firsthand look at the incredible adventures happening each day in our classrooms.
Pre-K is about so much more than learning letters and numbers. It is a place where curiosity grows, friendships begin, confidence develops, and a love of learning takes flight.
Thank you to all of the administrators and community leaders who stopped by to celebrate our students and teachers today. We are proud of the amazing work happening at Putnam County Early Learning Center and look forward to celebrating Pre-K Week all week long!







We look forward to spending this fun-filled day with you as we strengthen family connections and celebrate learning through play. We hope to see you there!
"Play is the work of childhood, and every moment spent playing is a moment spent learning." ✨

🎥 Be on the lookout next month for our Teacher of the Year videocast, featuring all of our school-level winners, leading up to the highly anticipated announcement of our District Teacher of the Year for 2026-2027! 🍎
📸 And, as always, a special shoutout to Brian Buffington for capturing the moments, memories, and the incredible teachers, students and staff who make PCCSS #PutnamProud!

We had the pleasure of honoring our September Superintendent’s Students of the Month, students who truly exemplify what it means to be a leader both inside and outside the classroom. These students demonstrate academic growth and achievement while consistently displaying character, kindness, perseverance, and respect. They encourage those around them, treat teachers, staff, and fellow students with dignity, work hard, and maintain positive attitudes that inspire others every day.
Please join us in congratulating:
• Jorge Lopez, Putnam County Primary School
• Leah Jackson (not pictured), Putnam County Elementary School
• Cheyenne Copeland, Putnam County Middle School
• Joelyn Madden, Putnam County High School
We also celebrated another outstanding achievement as the PCCSS Finance Department was recognized for earning both the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting and the Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO) Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025.
These prestigious awards reflect PCCSS's continuous commitment to transparency, accountability, and the highest standards of financial reporting. Even more impressive, this marks the 12th consecutive year that our Finance Department has earned recognition for excellence at the state, national, or international level. Congratulations to our dedicated Finance Department for continuing this tradition of exceptional stewardship and service to our schools and community.
👏 Join us in celebrating our outstanding students and staff who make PCCSS a place of excellence every day!






Thank you, Mrs. Johnson and Mrs. Dorsey, for the care, professionalism, and heart you bring to PCCSS. We are grateful for all you do and proud to recognize you as this month's H.E.A.R.T. Award winners! 🎉
❤️ H.E.A.R.T. stands for Honoring Exceptional And Remarkable Teamwork. This award recognizes classified employees who demonstrate outstanding teamwork, collaboration, and dedication while helping create a positive, supportive atmosphere for both students and staff.


We're inviting all teachers, faculty, and staff from every PCCSS school to come out, wear your War Eagle gear, and proudly represent your school community. As a special thank-you, the FIRST 50 staff members who present their school ID at the gate will receive a FREE gift! 🎁
📣 School Spirit Challenge- Which school will bring the biggest crowd and show the most school spirit? We can't wait to find out! Gather your coworkers and help your school claim bragging rights. During halftime, each school's teachers, faculty, and staff will gather together and be announced as they walk across the football field for special recognition and celebration. Let's show everyone the incredible pride, dedication, and spirit that make our schools so special!
🏆 The school with the most teachers, faculty, and staff on the field at halftime will win lunch from Mr. Austin!
Join us for a night of football, fun, appreciation, and friendly competition as we celebrate the amazing teachers, faculty, and staff who make PCCSS #PutnamProud every day.

💙 Family Interest Questionnaire | 2026–2027 💙
👨👩👧👦 Parents & Guardians — We Want to Hear From You!
Putnam County Early Learning Program is committed to providing workshops, training opportunities, resources, and parent activities that meet the needs and interests of our families.
We want this year’s opportunities to be interesting, informative, helpful, and FUN! 🌟
Throughout the school year, families will receive helpful information and resources through:
📚 Brochures & educational resources
📰 Newsletters
🤝 Parent meetings
🎓 Workshops & training opportunities
Your input helps us plan programs that are meaningful to YOU and your family!
📝 Please take just a few minutes to complete our 2026–2027 Family Interest Questionnaire.
👇 CLICK THE LINK BELOW TO COMPLETE THE SURVEY:
https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/ZL0u02iHG8
💙 Thank you for partnering with us!
Together, we can make this a wonderful year for our children and families.
#PutnamCountyEarlyLearningProgram #FamilyEngagement #ParentEngagement #HeadStart #PreK #FamiliesMatter
All PCCSS schools will be CLOSED Monday, September 7 for Labor Day.
Enjoy your long weekend, and we'll see everyone back in class on Tuesday, September 8, 2026!

This week, PCPS students will be visiting Butterflies and Blooms in the Briar Patch for an exciting educational experience! Students will learn about the fascinating life cycle of honey bees and have the opportunity to observe working bees up close. They will also explore the life cycle of butterflies while searching for caterpillars and butterflies throughout the gardens.
What a wonderful opportunity for our students to connect classroom learning with real-world experiences through hands-on exploration and discovery. Experiences like these help bring science to life and inspire curiosity about the natural world.
🎥 Don't miss today's featured video on the District's Facebook and Instagram pages!
📸 Be sure to stay tuned as we'll be sharing more photos from these visits later in the week!

Should conditions change and affect school operations, we will notify families, staff, and our community as quickly as possible through our official communication channels.
Thank you for your patience and understanding as we continue to monitor this situation.
